Toe walking is a gait abnormality where a child walks with too much weight on the balls of their feet and not enough on their heels or other parts of their feet. Here are four things parents need to know about it.

What are the signs of toe walking?

The main symptom of toe walking is very easy to identify. You will see your child walking and running on the balls of their feet. If they realize you are watching them, they may make an effort to walk with their weight on their heels. Children may also suffer from other symptoms as a result of their toe walking like stiffness in their legs, foot pain, or a lack of coordination. You may notice that your child falls down a lot or isn't very good at sports.

What causes it?

Toe walking can have many possible causes. It can be caused by structural problems like a short Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon is the tendon that runs down the back of the calf and into the heel, and if it's too short, your child may not be able to press their heel to the ground when they stand or walk.

Disorders that affect the muscles like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy can also cause toe walking. Children with these disorders may have trouble controlling their muscles or weak muscles and this makes it hard for them to walk normally.

Sometimes, toe walking occurs for no known cause. This is known as idiopathic toe walking.

Can it be treated?

In cases of idiopathic toe walking, your podiatrist may recommend doing nothing as some children start walking normally on their own. If the habit continues, or if it is caused by another disorder, it can be treated with plaster casts. Your child will wear these casts for six weeks, and once the casts come off, may begin walking normally. If not, surgery is also available as a last-resort treatment.

How common is toe walking?

Toe walking is a very common problem among children. The most common type is idiopathic toe walking, and it is reported to affect between 7% and 24% of children. The exact prevalence may be higher as not all parents seek medical treatment for toe walking.

Among children with cerebral palsy, toe walking is also common. Studies have reported widely different prevalence rates, depending on the severity of the cerebral palsy, but studies agree that less than 50% of affected children walk on their toes.

If your child walks on their toes, take them to a podiatrist or developmental pediatrics center for an evaluation